2018 Tybee Island Pirate Festival

Avast ye, scurvy dogs! An event of seismic proportion is drawing nearer, and it ain’t for the faint of heart. Now in its 14th year, the 2018 Tybee Island Pirate Festival will sail in on Thursday, October 4th, and the seaworthy celebration will continue all weekend long. Pirate parties, parades and pub crawls will fill the four-day fest, so come rowdy and ready to have a blimey good time. Here’s just a wee taste of the treasure that awaits you at the Pirate Fest.

Buccaneer Ball

Thursday, October 4th

Tradition holds that the festivities always commence at The Crab Shack with the annual Buccaneer Ball. Hosted by the BlackHarts, Dungeon Dan, and Kruel Kathy, and the buccaneer beauty Lady Lindsey Lee, this year’s ball will rival all others. Open to pirates and wenches 18 and up, the Buccaneer Ball is a time to eat, drink and be merry. Don your best coats and frocks and enjoy a sumptuous bounty of seafarers and spirits amid The Crab Shack’s spectacular marina views. Raise your rum to toast the crowned festival king and queen. And look forward to new entertainment, a costume contest and so much more. Tickets are on sale now.

2018 Tybee Island Pirate Festival

Friday, October 5th

The festival really sets sail on Friday with the opening ceremony. At the Strand Parking Lot from 5 to 11 pm, pirates and their seafaring families can look forward to a flurry of activity. Discover endless treasures from all corners of the earth at the Thieves Market. Enchant the young ones with a trip to Little Matey’s Cove, with rides and games, an exotic menagerie and a veritable pirate encampment courtesy of the Tybee Arts Association. It’s sure to shiver yer timbers. Friday festival tickets are just $12 per person, and kids 12 can get onboard for free!

Saturday October 6th

Saturday is the day to attend the Pirate Fest because there’s so much in store. Little Matey’s Cove, the Thieves Market will continue through the weekend, but several highlight events are limited to Saturday only. Sea chanteys will blast from the main stage from 11 am to 11 pm, courtesy of some of our favorite bands. The Children and Pets Costumes Contest will captivate crowds with cuteness from 1 to 1:30 pm in eager anticipation of the main event: the annual Pirate Victory Parade. Watch seaworthy vessels fly the Jolly Roger throughout Tybee’s streets as they toss out treasures to the crowd. Famous – or perhaps infamous – for spectacular ships and bold, brazen buccaneers, this year’s parade will sail from 3 to 5 pm, followed by our first ever Kids vs Pirates Water Fight! After the contests, grab some grub and prepare for the headlining performer, QUIET RIOT.

Sunday, October 7th

The 2018 Tybee Island Pirate Festival will close with a special treasure, a free festival day. It’s your last chance to have one final jig with the hardiest pirates in all the Atlantic before the fest packs up and sets out on the sea once more. The Pirate Festival won’t land on Tybee’s shores again for another year, so be sure to be there this time around.

PIRATE VICTORY PARADE
3 – 5 PM – Parade – This parade is a must for families! Parade participants will pass out treasure along the route. The parade runs from North Beach Parking Lot to Tybrisa St and traditionally takes 2hrs to complete.

MAIN STAGE

1 – 2 PM – Kids & Pet Costume Contest

3-5 PM DJ Dance Party

5 PM – In for a Penny

6 PM – Adult Costume Contest

6:30 PM – Lynn Avenue

7:30 PM – Thomas Claxton and the Myth

9 PM – Quiet Riot

9:45 ish – Fireworks

10 PM – DJ Dance Party

Sunday, Oct. 7th 12 PM – 4 PM

LITTLE MATEY’S COVE

Pirate Encampment by TAA

Carnival –

Bounce Houses

Petting Zoo

Pirate Crafts & Games 12-4pm

Sweetwater Beer Garden Stage

Motely Tones
Free Spirits Orchestra – 1-2 pm

Escape the Ordinary… If only for a Weekend!

About the Author:Chantel Baul

Chantel Baul is a Savannah native with a knack for writing and an ever-growing curiosity. She received her BA in English and Professional Communications from Armstrong State University, and when she’s not writing she’s serving the country as a US Army Reserve Officer. She’s an NPR nerd/foodie with a deep passion for all things travel, sustainable living and fun.